Center bolster for six-wheel trucks



May 12, 1936. c. 1.. ORR 2,040,706

CENTER BOLSTER FOR SIX-WHEEL] TRUCKS Filed Oct. 27, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 12, 1936. c ORR CENTER BOLSTER FOR SIX-WHEEL TRUCKS Filed Oct. 27 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 12, 1936. c. 1.. ORR

CENTER BOLSTER FOR SIX-WHEEL TRUCKS Filed Oot 2'7, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 .05 JMHH 141%-?! y 1936- c L. ORR

CENTER BOLSTER FOR 5IX-WHEEL| TRUCKS Filed Oct. 27, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet Patented May 12, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CENTER BOLSTER FOR SIX-WHEEL TRUCKS Ohio Application October 27, 1933, Serial No. 695,518

15 Claims.

This invention relates to a center bolster for six-wheel trucks. The type of truck under consideration is one in which four end side frame members resiliently support the ends of two transverse bolsters. The center bolster rests on inclined bearings common to both transverse and center bolsters (the former carrying the latter), and the car or tender is supported by the center bolster, the load being concentrated at the center plate normally, or on the center plate and a side bearing when a car or tender is rocked transversely of the truck. Such a structure is disclosed in my United States Patent No. 1,758,329, dated May 13, 1930, and the primary object of the present invention is to improve the type of bolster disclosed in that patent.

In said patent, I have illustrated and described what is known as a slab type bolster, and this type is satisfactory under ordinary loads and service, but where the loads are heavy and service severe, as in large locomotive tender service, I have discovered that the metal of the casting must be distributed in a novel way in order to direct the forces due to lading, etc., in a manner which prevents localized concentration of the load. In the bolster disclosed in the above mentioned patent, the forces due to lading are permitted to radiate from the center plate in both a transverse and a longitudinal direction; that is, the forces are directed to the longitudinal side members of the center bolster 'by the center cross member thereof, and also by the longitudinal center member which connects with the end cross members of the bolster. This means of directing forces is satisfactory under ordinary service conditions, but when the service is severe and very heavy loads are carried at high speed, the center bolster is subjected to a heavy pounding at the center plate, and this results in a highly concentrated load. Therefore, another object of my invention is to provide an improved center bolster capable of taking care of such load in a novel manner without materially increasing the amount of metal used.

With the foregoing objects outlined and with other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel features hereinafter described in detail, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a known type of sixwheel truck provided with my improved center bolster.

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view of the same partly in dotted lines and taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a similar view taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged top plan view of one-half of the center bolster.

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of the opposite half of the bolster.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the center bolster.

Fig. '7 is a longitudinal view of the center bolster, taken on the lines 'l'! of Figs. 4 and 5, and with the assumption that Fig. 5 is top side up.

Fig. 8 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on the line 88 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 9 is a transverse vertical sectional View of a detail on the line 99' of Fig. 4.

Fig. 10 is an end view of one side of the bolster, looking in the direction of the line Ill-l0 of Fig. 4.

In the drawings, ll designates the wheels of a six-wheel truck, and these wheels support axles l2 which carry the side frame members I3. These members carry coil springs I4 on which rests a pair of transverse bolsters l5. Such a truck is of the type shown in my above mentioned patent, but in place of the center bolster of that patent, I have devised the bolster designated generally by the numeral IS. The new bolster is preferably a one-piece metal casting, and it includes a center plate l7 and inclined bearing surfaces l8 which rest on the correspondingly shaped surfaces IQ of the transverse bolsters. The inclined surfaces I8 are positioned at the ends of longitudinal side members 20, and midway the ends of each of said members is a side bearing table 2|. I prefer to use the inclined bearings 3 because when resting on the correspondingly inclined bearings l9, they resist transverse forces as well as aiford vertical support.

The main load carrying members of the center bolster are the cross member 22 on which the center plate is located, and the longitudinal members 20 which transfer the load to the transverse bolsters.

Due to the inclination of the bearings l8 and i9, and to transverse forces on the center bolster, there is a tendency for the longitudinal members 20 to move toward each other, and in order to resist this movement, I employ knee braces 23. Each of these braces is of substantially V-shape, with the point of the V integrally united with a side wall of the cross member 22, and its ends similarly united with the end portions of the longitudinal side members 20. The braces 23 are 5 primarily resisting the above mentioned transverse forces, and they are made relatively light in vertical section so that they will not resist the vertical fiexure of the main load carrying members 20 and 22.

In order to properly distribute the concentrated .load on the center plate, a series of vertical ribs 24 extend longitudinally of the center bolster and are positioned beneath the center plate, and these ribs are integrally united with the center plate, as well as with the vertical transverse side walls 25 and the arch shaped bottom 26 of the transverse member 22. The arch 26'is also supported by the walls 25, and further reinforced by brackets 21 which unite the arch with said side walls. Thus, the concentrated load on the center plate 11 is distributed in a manner so that the transverse member 22 will not fail due to a localized shear. As best shown in Figs. 6 and '7, the lower ends of the walls 25 are flanged outwardly at 2B so that the unit stress due to bending is reduced, and it will be noted that the flanging produces channel sections 29.

From Figs. 4 and 5, it may be seen that the walls 25 and their flanged portions are integrally united with the longitudinal members 20 at the latters inner side walls 29a, and extensions 30 of the sidewalls 25 are also united with the outer sides 3| of the longitudinal members 20, thus effectively transferring the vertical center plate load to the longitudinal load carrying members.

I have found from actual practice that a center bolster constructed as above described will take care of highly concentrated load conditions due to severe service and very heavy loads, and the practicability of the design has been demonstrated by static tests. a While I have disclosed what I now consider to be apreferred embodiment of the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes may be made in the details disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention, as expressed in the claims.

What-I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: v

1. A bolster for railway car trucks, comprising longitudinal side members, a transverse member rigidly uniting the medial portions of said side members, and substantially V-shaped braces rigidly uniting the medial portion of the transverse member to the end portions of the side members, the ends of each brace being spaced from one another and the space between the ends of each brace being unobstructed. V

2. A bolster for railway car trucks, comprising longitudinal side members, a transverse member rigidly uniting the medial portions of said side members, substantially V-shaped braces rigidly uniting the medial portion of the transverse member to the end portions of the side members, said braces and the transverse member forming the sole connections between the side members, and inclinedbearing members on the under side of said bolster at the points where the braces are joined to the side members.

3. A bolster for railway car trucks, comprising longitudinal side members, a transverse member rigidly uniting the medial portions of said side members, and substantially V-shaped braces rig- ,idly uniting the medial portion of the transverse member to the end portions of the side members, the ends of each brace being spaced from one another and the space between the ends of each brace being unobstructed, said transverse member having an arch-shaped ,:-bottom extending lengthwise thereof.

4. A bolster for railway car trucks, comprising longitudinal side members, a transverse member rigidly uniting the medial portions of said side members, and substantially V-shaped braces rigidly uniting the medial portion of the transverse member to the end portions of the side members, the ends of each brace being spaced from one another and the space between the ends of each brace being unobstructed, said transverse member having side walls extending through said side members and rigidly united with the outer sides of said side members.

5. A bolster for railway car trucks, comprising longitudinal side members, a transverse member rigidly uniting the medial portions of said side members, and substantially V-shaped braces rigidly uniting the medial portion of the transverse member to the end portions of the side members, said transverse member having side walls and an arch-shaped bottom, and braces uniting the bottom to the lower portions of the side walls of the transverse member. 7

6. A bolster for railway car trucks, comp-rising longitudinal side members, a transverse member rigidly uniting the medial portions of said side members, substantially V-shaped braces rigidly uniting the medial portion of the transverse member to the end portions of the side members, said V-shaped braces forming the sole transverse bracing for. the ends of the side members, a center plate positioned at the top of the transverse member, and reinforcing ribs positioned within the transverse member and rigidly united with said center plate.

'1. A bolster for railway car trucks, comprising longitudinal side members, a transverse member rigidly uniting the medial portions of said side members, substantially V-shaped braces rigidly uniting the medial portion of the transverse member to the end portions of the side members, said V-shaped braces forming the sole transverse bracing. for the ends of the side members, a center plate positioned at the top of the transverse member, and reinforcing ribs positioned within the transverse member and rigidly united with said center plate, said ribs extending parallel to said side members.

8. A bolster for railway car trucks, comprising longitudinal side members, a transverse member rigidly uniting the medial portions of said side members, substantially V-shaped braces rigidly uniting the medial portion of the transverse member to the end portions of the side members, said V-shaped braces forming the sole transverse bracing for the ends of the side members, said transverse member having side walls, a center plate positioned at the top of'the transverse member, and reinforcing ribs arranged within the transverse member and rigidly united with said center plate and the side walls of the transverse member.

9. A bolster for railway car trucks, comprising longitudinal side members, a transverse member rigidly uniting the medial portions of said side members, substantially V-shaped braces rigidly uniting the medial portion of the transverse member to the end portions of the side members,

tom, and reinforcing ribs positioned within the" transverse member and rig-ldly united with said center plate, side walls and bottom.

10. A bolster for railway car trucks, comprising longitudinal side members, a transverse member rigidly uniting the medial portions of said side members, substantially V-shaped braces rigidly uniting the medial portion of the transverse member to the end portions of the side members, said V-shaped braces forming the sole transverse bracing for the ends of the side members, a center plate positioned at the medial portion of said transverse member, said transverse member having side walls and an arch-shaped bottom, and reinforcing ribs positioned within the transverse member and rigidly united with said center plate, side walls and bottom, each of said side walls extending downwardly below said arch-shaped bottom.

11. A bolster for railway car trucks, comprising longitudinal side members, a transverse member rigidly uniting the medial portions of said side members, and substantially V-shaped braces rigidly uniting the medial portion of the transverse member to the end portions of the side members, said transverse member having side walls terminating at their lower ends in outwardly extending flanges forming channel sections.

12. A bolster for railway car truclm, comprising longitudinal side members, a transverse member rigidly uniting the medial portions of said side members, and substantially V-shaped braces rigidly uniting the medial portion of the transverse member to the end portions of the side members, said transverse member having side walls terminating at their lower ends in outwardly extending flanges forming channel sections, the ends of said flanges being rigidly united with the inner sides of said longitudinal members.

13. A center bolster for six-wheel car trucks, comprising side members and a transverse center member rigidly united together, a center plate positioned medially oi the top of the transverse member, said transverse member having side walls, and longitudinal reinforcing ribs in the transverse member extending within the vertical projection of the center plate periphery and rigidly uniting said center plate with the side walls of the transverse member.

14. A center bolster for six-wheel car trucks, comprising side members and a transverse center member rigidly united together, a center plate positioned medially of the top of the transverse member, said transverse member having side walls, and longitudinal reinforcing ribs in the transverse member extending within the vertical projection of the center plate periphery and rigidly uniting said center plate with the side walls of the transverse member, said transverse member having an arch-shaped bottom rigidly united with the ribs and side walls,

15. A center bolster for six-wheel car trucks,

comprising longitudinal side members and a transverse center member rigidly united together, a center plate positioned medially of the top of the transverse member, said transverse member having side walls, and reinforcing ribs within the transverse member rigidly uniting said center plate with the side walls of the transverse member, each of said side walls terminating at its lower end in an outwardly extending flange, and the ends of the flanges being rigidly united with said side members.

CLAUDE L. ORR. 

